Her Lullaby
by WritelkeUmeanit
Summary: “Luke?” She called softly as she opened the door and peaked in. “Oh Luke..” Lorelai frowned when she saw her husband lying in bed. LL oneshot.


**One Shot: Her Lullaby**

_Backroud Info- Future Fic: Luke and Lorelai are married as of seven months and Lorelai is four months pregnant. _

_**Diner...**_

Lorelai walked, a determined look on her face as she headed toward what over the years, became her second home. She was a woman on a mission.

Immediately upon entering the diner, Lorelai's eyes started scanning the crowed, going back and forth in search of her stubborn liar of a husband.

"Hey Casear," Lorelai called to Luke's right hand man who was coming from the kitchen with a plate in each hand. "where's Luke?" she asked with an, you're in trouble, look.

"He's not here." Casear answered, not making eye contact with Lorelai as he walked past her to give a couple sitting by the window, their food.

"Really?" she asked, showing the suspicion in her tone as she raised her eyebrows. "Where is he than?"

"Out." The chef answered shortly, still avoiding Lorelai's gaze as he put the two plates down then walked past her.

"Out where?" Lorelai probed, knowing he was lying to her.

".. Running an errand." Casear told her, silently praying that she would let it go so he wouldn't get in trouble with his boss.

"What errand?" Lorelai played along, knowing she could very well cut out the middle man and go straight to the source who was probably right above her head, but she decided to stay, make Caesar sweat a little.

".. Getting.. food for the diner." He answered, going back to the kitchen in hopes that she would let up. It was a pipe dream, but..

"Food for the diner?" Lorelai repeated slowly, pretending to consider his words. "Because I thought he ordered everything. I mean that's why, before we had gotten married, I would either have to sleep here or Luke would have to leave my house to spend the night here so he could be up to get his shipments, but everyone likes to cuddle after sex, even stone cold Luke, which is why I ended up going to bed at ten every night, earlier if we wanted to get in a couple of rounds, which happened on more than occasion, but point is that I know for a fact Luke orders everything, so you wanna try that again Caesar?"

Caesar froze, not knowing what the right answer was to get Lorelai off his back and at the same time keep his boss's whereabouts a secret.

".. He's.. well he couldn't.. the phone.. it.."

"Luke needs to come up with a better cover story cause the one he has going sucks." Lorelai complained as she turned on her heel and headed past the curtain to go upstairs.

_**Upstairs...**_

"Luke?" She called softly as she opened the door and peaked in. "Oh Luke.." Lorelai frowned when she saw her husband lying in bed. "I knew it, I knew you were sick."

"I am not, _cough!.. _sick."

"And you're stubborn too." She smiled as headed for the bed.

"I don't get sick." Luke told her, his voice horse and his eyes closed.

"Casear can't lie to save his life."

"He's, _cough!.. _fired."

"Luke-" Lorelai smiled, her voice full of concern as she sat down next to him.

"-Lorelai, no." He protested weakly before coughing again. "I don't want you getting sick"

"I won't get sick, just cough that way." She grinned, pointing toward the bathroom.

"I'm serious," He told her, barely opening his eyes to look at her. "Why do you think I slept here last night."

"Yeah, nice one Houdini," She teased. "you suck at lying too."

"I didn't want, _cough!.. _you getting sick." Luke defended his actions.

"I didn't see you at all yesterday," Lorelai frowned. "you had me worried. I waited up for you for hours, and when I woke up you weren't there."

"I'm sorry." he apologized.

"I could hear you were sick from your message.. why didn't you just tell me?"

"I didn't want you to, _cough!.. _to worry about me."

"And you think you not showing up last night wouldn't worry me?" Lorelai asked, moving closer to put her hand on his chest.

"Lorelai, I mean it." Luke said firmly, reaching to take her wrist before her hand could touch his body. "You're not getting sick."

"Will you stop!" Lorelai scolded her ever selfless husband. "You're the one laying in bed, coughing like there's not tomorrow, and you're worried about me getting sick?"

"You're pregnant, Lorelai." He reminded her, his eyes traveling down to her four month old pregnant stomach. She sighed, knowing he was right.

"I won't get sick." She said firmly.

"We're not risking, _cough!.. _risking it." Luke told her.

Ignoring her husband, she lifted her free hand quickly, putting the back of her palm on his forehead. "Oh my God." worry washing over her face as she felt the heatcoming from him. "You're burning up!"

"I'm fine." He tried to tell her, but she stood, not answering as she went to the bathroom to get the thermometer he had in his medicine cabinet.

"Open." Lorelai commanded as she leaned over the bed.

"Lorelai-"

"-Luke, it's in your best interest not to mess with a pregnant woman, now open." She repeated, leaving no room for discussion.

Turning to face her, Luke opened his mouth just barely, but enough so Lorelai could stick the thermometer in.

As they waited, Loerlai couldn't help but look at Luke with adoring eyes. Here he was, clearly sick and she could see that that didn't matter to him. All he cared about was her, even when was lying sick in bed, all he could think about was her. Luke would rather suffer alone in silence, then risk her getting sick.

Absentmindedly, Lorelai brought her hand to her stomach, her fingers stroking back and forth. Luke layed there, thermometer under his tongue as he watched her.

If she weren't pregnant, it wouldn't even be a question. Lorelai would stay with him and if she got sick, than oh well. She knew Luke would take care of her, but now.. well it wasn't the greatest idea for her to get sick when she was pregnant and they both knew that.

A minute had passed and Luke didn't wait for Lorelai. He took the thermometer from his mouth and brought his eyes to read the number. "98.6, I'm fine."

"You're lying!" She exclaimed, snapping from her thoughts.

"Lorelai.."

"Let me see." she insisted.

"You don't have-"

"Luke, my hormones can take over and we both know that isn't pretty, now let me see." Luke sighed, reluctantly holding out the thermometer for her to see.

".. 101.7!, Luke!" She yelled, looking behind her to grab the Dooses bag she had with her.

"What are, _cough!.. _you doing?"

"It's a good thing I came prepared, cause lord knows you're Mr, I never sick, and have nothing in his bathroom... well, old bathroom."

"I don't." He said firmly.

"The thermometer doesn't lie." She told him, pulling out various bottles from the bag.

"What, _cough!.. _what is that?" Luke asked, eying what she had in her hands

"This, is what's gonna make you feel better."

"I'm not taking any of that crap." He shook his head, turning the other way.

"I'm not gonna sit here and watch you suffer when I can do something about it- your taking it."

"I don't need it." Luke said stubbornly.

"You don't always have to be strong Luke." She tried to reason, putting everything down on his night stand, but kept the Advil bottle in her hand.

"That does nothing, I'll be, _cough!.. _I'll be fine without it.. just give me a few days."

"A few days of what? Of you lying in bed feeling miserable? I don't think so." Lorelai shook her head, as she took the cover from the bottle and poured two pills into her palm.

"Sit up babe."

"Lorelai, I told you-" unable to finish his sentence, Luke was thrown into a coughing fit and Lorelai watched with wide eyes as she herd the cough deep in his chest. It was a horrible sound that made her feel so bad for her husband and knowing that he went through this last night made her feel even worse.

Lorelai stood frozen in place, waiting until he was done and she knew if she wasn't pregnant, she would be sitting right next to him, rubbing his chest as he coughed in hopes that that would help it pass sooner.

Finally, after what felt like the longest time to Lorelai, but in reality was only 20 seconds, Luke stopped coughing, putting his hands over his face as he made a move to sit up. He was done arguing. He knew he needed to take something. Luke hated to show weakness, especially in front of Lorelai, he always wanted to be strong for her, be the one to take care of her, but he knew he had a fever- a fever that if he didn't take anything, would get worse and that would leave him with a bigger problem. The sooner he got rid of this damn cold, the sooner he could be home. He hated sleeping alone, even one night without Lorelai made him crazy.

"Open." Lorelai instructed, holding two pills in one hand, and the glass of water he had on the night stand, in the other.

"Water." She said, tipping the glass to his lips once the pills were in his mouth.

Once he swallowed them, he made a move to lay back down, but Lorelai stopped him.

"No, no, not yet." She said, reaching down to grab a bottle of vicks vapor rub. "Arms up." Lorelai told him, taking the bottom his shirt in both her hands and pulling it over his head, leaving him bare chested. "I'm gonna lather you up baby and when I'm done, you'll be able to breath like a baby.. ooh wait, wrong saying, that's sleep." Lorelai shook her head, causing a grin to come over Luke's face.

Taking the top from the bottle, Lorelai put two fingers in, "I love the smell of this stuff." Lorelai smiled as she lowered her hand to his chest and started rubbing it across his chest.

"You don't have to do this Lorelai." Luke said after a moment of silence.

"You've always taken care of me Luke, even before we got together, you were always there." She said, smiling at him as various memories flashed through her mind. "This is just a very small step in paying you back."

"I didn't do anything so you would have to pay me back." Luke answered, missing her sarcasm. Being sick must have thrown his game off.

"I know Luke, and I also know that if the situation were reversed, you would take care of me." He nodded, showing her she was right. "Okay, then let me do this- you were there when we got married, the reverend said, in sickness and in health.. well right now we're in the sickness part and I'm going to take care of you whether you like it or not because I refuse to sit back and watch you cough up a storm when there's something I could be doing about it." Luke didn't answer. He knew they were both too stubborn for their own good, so he kept quiet and let her finish up.

"Okay.." Lorelai dragged a minute later as she spread the last of it. ".. you're all done."

"Good." He nodded, bringing his hand to his mouth as he coughed.

"One more thing, than you can lay back down and go to beddy bye land." Luke sighed, a very small one, knowing she was just trying to take care of him and he did know, if this was Lorelai, he would be doing everything in his power to make her feel better because he hated to see her in pain. "Now this taste's a little weird.. kinda like a bad piece of candy," She frowned, picking up the Dayquil, "but it will put you out like a light and help that cough you've got going." he wanted to protest, he had medicine in him, he didn't want more going through his system, but instead he just opened his mouth and took what was given to him.

"There, now you're all set." She smiled, proud of herself as she gathered what she bought with her and went to put it in the bathroom.

"And now you're going home." Luke finished for her she took the bag and went toward the bathroom.

"No, not home, but I do have to get to the Inn and as much as I would rather take off and spend the day with you, I can't. Michel called in sick, irony of ironies, I know, but now I have to cover the front desk." She winced, hating that she had to go, but Luke was glad she was leaving. This pregnancy thing was new to him and he didn't want to risk her getting sick and have it effect the baby.

"Go, I'll be, _cough!.. _I'll be fine." He said, trying to convince her there was nothing to worry about.

"Are you sure?" She asked, not liking the cough she just herd. "because maybe I can call Kirsten, she's not scheduled to come in until seven, but maybe she'd be able to-"

"Lorelai-" He interrupted. "You don't have to call Kirsten, I'm okay." Lorelai stood, looking at her husband with skeptical eyes. "Go." He urged after a moment of silence.

".. Okay.." she said warily. "I'll go, but you have to promise to call me if you need anything. I mean it."

"I will." He said, followed by a cough, which he did his best to ignore, but he had to give in.

Lorelai sighed. Every time she herd him cough, that made her second guess herself with leaving.

"_Should I stay or Should I go..."_ The tune came from Lorelai's purse and neither missed out on the irony.

"Hello.." Lorelai answered quickly. ".. I know, I know.." Her eyes went to the clock, knowing she was running late. ".. I'll be there in five minutes... thank you so much Ryan.. okay.. bye."

"I really have to go." Lorelai said, slipping her phone back into her purse. "That was the night manager, I asked him to cover for me until I got there, but he's late for his daughter's recital."

"Go." Luke repeated.

"I'll be back as soon as I can get away." Luke nodded.

"Feel better." She whispered, leaning down to kiss his forehead. "Sleep and I'll be back to spend the night." Before he could argue, Lorelai continued. "I won't sleep with you, just in the same room so I can keep an eye on you." That eased his mind a little, but still, he didn't even want her in the same room as him.

"Thanks Lorelai." He gave her a small smile, letting her know that he glad for what she did.

"You don't have to thank me, it's part of being a wife." He rolled his eyes, a grin on his face. "Byeee." She dragged, a frown on her face as she left the apartment.

_**Later.. Dragonfly Inn...**_

It was three o'clock and despite what Luke said, Lorelai had tried to call Kirsten, their assistant manager, to see if she could start her shift early, work some over time, but Kirsten told her boss that she couldn't. She was at another part time job until six, which Lorelai understood, after all, it was short notice, but the let down did nothing to calm Lorelai's nerves as she kept worrying, her thoughts focused on Luke.

_Kitchen..._

"Hey Sookie." Lorelai sighed as she walked through the kitchen, her eyes glancing at the clock as she did.

"Hey, chocolate?"the chef asked, holding out a piece of chocolate to Lorelai, who nodded and took the candy.

"Thanks."

".. You okay?"

"What?" Lorelai asked, snapping from her thoughts.

"You seem distracted." Sookie explained. "Have been all day."

"I'm fine," Lorelai shook her head. "Just worrying about Luke.. but I'm sure he's fine." She said, trying to convince herself more than anything. "I mean he had a fever, but I made him take Advil, that should bring it down.. I'm sure he's fine, probably sleeping.. he would call if needed me." Lorelai continued, pulling her phone from her pocket and quickly checking the screen, then once she saw there were no missed calls, she put it back.

"Yeah, he's probably just sleeping, which is a good thing when your sick. They're always saying to sleep and drink, so sleeping's good." Sookie babbled, trying to assure her friend that her husband was okay.

"Yeah, the medicine probably knocked him out." Again Lorelai's eyes traveled to the clock. "I hate Michel!" She complained, then left the kitchen to try and occupy herself.

_**Later... Dragonfly Inn.. A Quarter to Seven...**_

"Where are you?" Lorelai whispered impatiently from behind the front desk as she watched the hands on the clock move slower than the slowest snail known to man.

"Lorelai!" Kirsten shouted as she ran through the lobby. "You sounded like you really-"

"- Good! You're here! I have to go, I'll check in later, thanks Kirsten!" Lorelai breezed by before Kirsten could finish her sentence.

"Oh.. kay.. later."

_**The Diner...**_

"Hey Lorelai." Kirk smiled from the counter when he saw his neighbor walk in.

"Hey Kirk."

"Bye Lorelai." He said when she walked past him and toward the curtain.

"Bye Kirk."

_Upstairs..._

Quietly, Lorelai crept to what used to be Luke's apartment, and before that, his father's office. She peaked her head in, bringing her gaze to the sleeping form on the bed.

"And here I thought you'd ignore everything I said and I would find you downstairs working, acting like nothing was wrong." Lorelai smiled as she walked quiet as a mouse across the room and toward the bed.

Not two feet from the mattress, Lorelai stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Luke begin to stir.

She stayed glued to the spot as she waited for Luke to settle back into a deep sleep, and he did, his head moving to the opposite side as his body shifted under the covers.

Lorelai let out a breath when she found her husband to still be sound asleep and she continued on with her walk to the bed.

She always thought he looked so peaceful when he slept. There were very rare occasions where she would be the first one to wake up, but when she was, Lorelai found herself lost on Luke. She would just lay there, watching him sleep. .

Again Luke shifted and Lorelai winced as she watched him move, then suddenly his eyes opened and he burst out coughing.

On instinct, Lorelai stepped back, watching with concern as he coughed, the sound making her worry.

"Hey." She said quietly once he had finished.

Upon hearing her voice, Luke looked up, finding his wife standing across the room.

"Lorelai..." she smiled, making a move to get closer to him. "What time is it?" He asked, bringing his hands to rub his face.

"It's almost seven." She answered, going to sit next to him.

"Lorelai, I don't want you getting too close." Luke told her when she sat down next to him.

"I'm just seeing if you're still warm, ignore me." She grinned, putting her palm over his forehead. "You're still a little warm." Lorelai frowned, hoping to find that the fever would be gone. "Have you taken anything since I left?" Luke shook his head.

"You're not gonna get any better if you don't keep up with this." She told him, turning to get another Advil. "Here babe." Lorelai held the pills to his mouth and he opened, then washed them down with the water she gave him.

"Have you gotten much sleep?"

"Enough."

"Wanna be more vague?"

"I got a couple hours, but I keep waking up, coughing like crazy, which is exactly why I don't want you here, this is place is infested with germs and every second you're here, you're being exposed."

"Will you stop thinking about me for one second and realize that you're the one who needs help right now!" She yelled, wanting him to realize they were an equal partnership. It can't always be him taking care of her, sometimes it would be her turn and this was one of those times.

"I will _never_ stop thinking about you." He said firmly, not breaking eye contact with her for a second. Lorelai's expression softened as she let out a breath. There eyes still locked as she reached her hands down, finding his left hand and locking her fingers with his.

Neither of them said anything for a few minutes. Both were lost in each other's eyes, just staring as they hands were joined.

Lorelai couldn't help but think of how incredibly lucky she was to have him. To have a man who always, _always_, put her first, no matter what was happening.. he always thought of her first.

Luke was caught up in his own thoughts as his thumb stroked over her knuckles. The memory of his wedding day ran through his mind. That happened a lot, whenever his mind would escape him, that would usually be where his thoughts would go. Luke marks that down as one of the best days in his life.. seeing her walk down the aisle in that white dress.. he dreams about it more times than he can count.

"Have you eaten anything?" She asked, barely audible as she was still lost on Luke. He shook his head.

"I'm gonna get us some food," Lorelai said, slowly breaking her hand free from his. "I'll be back."

"Okay." Luke answered, his eyes still on hers.

".. Okay." She said, the smile never leaving her face as she reluctantly left Luke.

Once the door was closed, Lorelai leaned against it, letting out a deep breath as she regained herself. She _really_ wished Luke wasn't sick right now.

_**Later That Night...**_

Lorelai lay awake in her stepdaughter's bed as she watched her husband sleep.

She had checked him before he went to bed and found that his fever went down considerably, his temperature being 99. 7. It wasn't what the standard body temperature should be, but he was getting there.

It had only been a couple of hours that the medicine was in his system, but Lorelai could tell it was taking effect. Luke hadn't been coughing as frequently as he was this morning, and when he did, it didn't sound so rough.. if that made sense. It seemed that DayQuil/NyQuil combined with Advil really packed a punch.

As Lorelai layed there, her eyes glued on Luke, she let out a small laugh when she realized that she, the one who wasn't sick, was up most of the night, while Luke, who had been coughing every couple of minutes, was sound asleep.

Pulling the covers from her body, Lorelai rolled out of bed, adjusting Luke flannel's, then walking toward his bed.

She knew sleeping beside him wasn't a good idea, but she couldn't help it. She had a hard enough of time sleeping last night, alone in that big queen sized bed. Lorelai had gotten so used to his body next to her's, the body heat hugging her as his arm would wrap around her waist, holding her close to him. The sounds of his light snoring had become like a lullaby to her, always guiding her to a peaceful sleep.

As quietly as she could, Lorelai pushed aside the covers just enough to squeeze in next to him as she did her best not to wake up, which was pretty easy since he was a deep sleeper. Once Luke was out, he was out- dead to the world.

She stayed away from his face, wrapping her arm around his middle as she layed her head on his upper chest.

She sighed, settling into the comfort of her husband. She put her ear close to his chest, her head heaving up and down as the soft sounds of his snoring could be herd.

"Thank you for my lullaby." She whispered, looking up at his face before closing her eyes.

_**THE END**_

**PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW**


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